Re: towing

Mike,
I am glad you were able to weigh your SJ23, gear, and trailer. Where
did you get access to road scales? I have wanted to weigh my rig
because I really suspect my SJ23, gear, and trailer is in the same
weight range as yours. At work I often tow an enclosed canoe and kayak
trailer that weighs about 6000 lbs. I feel my SJ23 and trailer weigh
about 5000 lbs because the rigs have a similar feel when towing. My
last boat had a much different feel and it was in the 2500 lb range.
Although the manufacturer claimed to build the SJ23 at 2700 lbs, I
suspect, considering they were hand-laid cloth and resin, the boat
weights can range widely by hundreds of pounds. Has anyone else had
the opportunity to actually weigh their boat, trailer and gear to get
an accurate towing weight. Just curious.

Danny Batten
SJ23 Willie Juan
Wake Forest, NC

On Dec 27, 2004, at 3:50 PM, Mike Foreman wrote:

I've towed Joy IV quite a bit in the past several years with a F150 5L
and an automatic. This is a good load and I've been pull up 2 boat
rams that I spun out on (not 4x4 obviously). An interesting thing is I
run everything over a road scales (scales was unmanned) and the boat
and trailer ( double axle) came in a 5000 lbs plus whatever is on the
hitch of the truck. I have weighted twice now and always the same,
this does not include the outboard (which is in the box of the truck.)
Also truck has a class 3 hitch, so this weight should be just?? within
limits, but it appears the hitch has twisted as not able to remove the
square shaft and ball (think it's call the reciever). Don't think I
would be going for anything lighter that a 1/2 ton with a class 3.
However if it's smooth roads, once in the spring and once in the fall,
I guess u could go lighter.